It was a big day, for both of us, but particularly for Ruth.

We were picked up from neat to our motel by the Skyrail shuttle bus and were driven directly to the Skyrail terminal at Smithfield, as we were last pick up. There were rain clouds around with a clear treat of rain, but it was holding off or the moment.

We had taken care when booking to ensure that Ruth would be able to access the Skyrail gondolas and were assured that she could be accommodated. And accommodate her they did. The Skyrail gondolas can be stopped for short periods. The whole section of the system can be stopped if necessary. But slowing was all that was required. I folded Ruth’s walker and took it on board. Staff then helped Ruth to board and get her seated. There was even time for two more people to join our gondola.

So, we were whisked away into the air and carried towards the top of the first lift, which is also the first stop. The cable car operation is divided into two separate sections. The first lifts the cars to the top of the range to Red Peak where gondolas turn and return to the start. The Western section lifts gondolas from Kuranda through Barron Falls to Red Peak.

Most passengers alight at both stations. At Red Peak it is compulsory, unless you want to return to the start. The rainforest walk attracts most passengers. It is a most pleasant walk on an even surface. The walk at Barron Falls provides good views of the entire length of the Falls and much of the gorge.

The boardwalk was very suitable for Ruth’s walker, as the grades were gentle and the pathway quite wide. Displays and signs help visitors to understand what they are seeing.

At Barron Falls, a staff member to whom we spoke, showed us video on his phone of the falls at full flow. It would be spectacular to see. By the time that we arrived, high flows of a week or two earlier had reduced, but there was still a good volume of water flowing over the drop.

It is very peaceful gliding above the tree canopy. Breaks in the vegetation give glimpses of the under story, as do the walks at the stops. As you top Red Peak, the ranges of the Great Divide roll away into the distance and you look directly into Barron Gorge.

There is plenty of warning before the final station. The public address system asks you to look up so that a camera can take your photo while you are still in the gondola. For about $30 you can buy a copy of the photo. We passed on that.

When booking, we enquired about transport to the town, as that’s where all the services are, including lunch. They weren’t very clear, but we suspected that it would be necessary to walk. Our suspicions were confirmed by the absence of obvious modes of transport. So, we set off on foot with the other arrivals.

The walk was about 500 metres I guess, and moderately steep, but we made it with a couple of rest stops. The first cafe that we saw got our business. That was my first coffee for the day, so it was most welcome. Rested, we walked a bit of the town and then took the path back down to the Kuranda Scenic Railway station which is adjacent to the Sky Rail station. We were there in plenty of time to rest up for the train journey.

Last time we did the SkyRail and train experience we had seats to the left of the train when facing forward. That put other passenger heads between us and the view. The passenger in the window seat leaned out of the window most of the way taking photos so we saw little. This time we had a row of four seats to ourselves, so visibility was not a problem. Unfortunately, as the train stopped at Barron Falls Station, the rain started to fall so the photographic opportunities were quickly abandoned. The rain continued, so no one hung out of the windows taking photos.

Towards the bottom of the steep part of climb the railway passes Stoney Creek Falls and the bridge over Stoney Creek. This bridge is the most outstanding bridge on the line. The falls can be seen to the west of the line, towering above the train and cascading for tens of metres into a waterhole. Shortly after this point the train negotiates Horseshoe Bend, a very tight turn in railway terms. Passengers can look back or forward, depending where they are sitting on the train, and see the opposite end of the train preceding or following them. Negotiating the turn is done at a very slow pace, with much screeching of wheels on steel rails.

The sun was shining again by the time we reached Cairns. I walked back to our motel to collect the car, returned to the station to collect Ruth. Then back up fourteen steps.